Toolholder for artificial arms



1948- F. w. RALLISON TOOL HOLDER FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 22, 1945 Inventor Nov. 1a, 1948. RALU N 2,453,936

TOOL HOLDER FOR ARTIFICIAL ARMS Filed Aug. 22, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor fiederz'c/E a 78:2 1165072;

db away 8m Patented Nov. 1 6, 1948 in STATES Tenn creme? The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in artificial" ar'ms, an'dinore particularly to a" detachable'tool'holderadapted for attaching at the end of the arm, and by means of which various tools may be supported in a position for use by a person provided with the artificial arm.

An important object of the present invention is to provide a tool holder of this character embodying a swingably mounted socket at the end of the holder, together with means for securing the socket in adjusted position, and also embodying means for detachably securing a tool in the socket.

A further object of the invention is to provide a tool holder of this character of simple and practical construction, which is efficient and reliable in use, relatively inexpensive to manufacture, easy to install in operative position to a conventional form of artificial arm, and which otherwise is well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a plan View,

Figure 2 is a side elevational View,

Figure 3 is a front elevational View,

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on a line 44 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a similar view taken substantially on a line 5-5 of Figure 2,

Figures 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 6-45 and 1'I of Figure 5, and

Figure 8 is a perspective view of an adapter for interchangeable attachment in the socket of the tool holder.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein, for the purpose of illustration, I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates a threaded stem adapted for threaded engagement in the end of an artificial arm of conventional construction, the stem having a flange 6 formed thereon to abut the end of the arm.

The outer end of the stem 5, beyond the flange 6, is formed with a transversely extending, cylindrical head I rotatably mounted in a yoke 8 by means of a pin 9, the yoke being formed at the inner end of an elongated tool socket l0.

1 ciiiia. (Cl. 279-79) he secrete a swing'ably l 'l ymeans f "the: s

a chamber i3 in the socket, the detent being adapted to enter circumferentially spaced recesses l i formed in the head i.

A coil spring #5 is positioned at the inner end of the chamber l3 and engages the plunger E2 to retract the detent H, and the plunger and detent are manually moved into their projected positions for entering one of the recesses M- by means of a laterally projecting handle 16 carried by the plunger and working in a bayonet slot ll formed in the socket ID, the handle it being engaged in the inner end of the slot H to secure the detent in looking engagement with the head 'i to thus secure the socket ill in its angularly adjusted position with respect to the stem 5.

One side of the yoke 8 is formed with a manipulating extension or lever l 8, by means of which the socket IQ may be swung into a desired angular position, as shown by the dotted lines in Figure 2 of the drawing, upon releasing of the detent II.

The outer end of the socket IE! is formed with a bore is adapted to receive the stem 2! of a tool 2| such as a file or other implement, the inner end of the stem 20 being hexagonal in crosssection and having an annular groove 22 formed therein.

A locking plunger 23 is slidably mounted in a transversely extending opening 24 in the socket H] which intersects the bore IS, the plunger 24 having an opening 25 therein for receiving the stem 29.

The inner end of the plunger 23 is formed with a flange 25 against which a coil spring 27 is engaged to urge the plunger 23 outwardly at one side of the socket 10, whereby to cause one edge of the opening 25 in the plunger to enter the groove 22 of the stem 20, and thus secure the tool in position in the socket.

The outer end of the plunger 23 projects beyond the side of the socket l0 whereby a depressing force exerted on the plunger against the tension of the spring 21 will release the edge of the opening 25 from the groove 22 and permit removal of the tool for interchangeably mounting other types of tools therein, such as a tool adapted ilustrated in Figure 8 of the drawing and including a stem 28 having an annular groove 29 therein for engagement by the plunger 23, the stem 28 having an enlarged socket 311 at its outer end for frictionally receiving the handles of various types of tools.

It is believed the details of construction, manner of operation, and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

In view of the foregoing description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction, operation and advantages of the device will be quite apparent to those skilled in this art. A more detailed description is accordingly deemed unnecessary;

It is to be understood, however, that even though I have herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention that the same is susceptible to certain changes fully comprehended by the spirit of the invention as herein described andthe scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

A tool holder for artificial arms comprising a threaded stem adapted for threading in an artificial arm, a rounded head on the outer end of the stem having a plurality of recesses, a tool socket including a yoke pivotally receiving the REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 283,745 Bartlett Aug. 28, 1883 857,163 Derby June 18, 1907 973,985 Sibert Oct. 25, 1910 1,269,413 Finnigan June 11, 1918 1,271,448 Darrance July 2, 1918 1,384,887 Burndahl July 19, 1921 1,615,169

Ellis Jan. 18, 1927 

